The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ??

"Reticulum" <rock_bustin RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:879bfb06.0309291326.57724187@posting.google.com...
> This trivia , which I can't answer, has been bugging me and
> I thought I'd ask. I have some vague memory of such feats being
> associated with Nolan Ryan in days of yore. 105MPH Fastball was
> it he threw ? Can someone tell me How Fast, by Whom, When, Where?

In MLB, the fastest official speed, I think, is still 100.1 mph by Nolan
Ryan in his days in California. IIRC, there's some long story about how the
gun didn't work right until later in the game or something, which I've never
really bought. Why not just try again the next game or the next season?
Regardless, in flat contradiction of this being the highest speed, several
pitches have broken 101 mph. Off the top of my head Dwayne Ward, Rob
Dibble, and Billy Koch have met that mark... Randy Johnson seems a logical
addition there. Anyway, there have been a few all of recent vintage. A
similar contradiction comes up when you talk about the longest homerun as
well.

Now, as for the fastest pitcher *ever*, that's a whole 'nother story...


Matt
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On 29 Sep 2003 14:26:21 -0700, rock_bustin RemoveThis @yahoo.com (Reticulum)
wrote:

>This trivia , which I can't answer, has been bugging me and
>I thought I'd ask. I have some vague memory of such feats being
>associated with Nolan Ryan in days of yore. 105MPH Fastball was
>it he threw ? Can someone tell me How Fast, by Whom, When, Where?
>
> Andrew

100.9, "official" timing, I believe...late 1973, and one of the last
pitches he threw in a long game, after a long season. The man was a
horse...

Tom
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

Many stadium guns that flash speeds on scoreboards are laughably
inflated...I remember the one in Camden Yards being fairly ridiculous in
that regard.
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 01:32:52 GMT, "Matt Deres" <mderes4221 DeleteThis @rogers.com>
wrote:

>
>"Reticulum" <rock_bustin DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:879bfb06.0309291326.57724187@posting.google.com...
>> This trivia , which I can't answer, has been bugging me and
>> I thought I'd ask. I have some vague memory of such feats being
>> associated with Nolan Ryan in days of yore. 105MPH Fastball was
>> it he threw ? Can someone tell me How Fast, by Whom, When, Where?
>
>In MLB, the fastest official speed, I think, is still 100.1 mph by Nolan
>Ryan in his days in California. IIRC, there's some long story about how the
>gun didn't work right until later in the game or something, which I've never
>really bought. Why not just try again the next game or the next season?
>Regardless, in flat contradiction of this being the highest speed, several
>pitches have broken 101 mph. Off the top of my head Dwayne Ward, Rob
>Dibble, and Billy Koch have met that mark... Randy Johnson seems a logical
>addition there. Anyway, there have been a few all of recent vintage. A
>similar contradiction comes up when you talk about the longest homerun as
>well.
>
>Now, as for the fastest pitcher *ever*, that's a whole 'nother story...

It depends on where the ball is when the speed is registered...right?
The ball loses speed by the time it reaches the plate. Nolan's timing
was right across the plate...he may have been 103-105 when it left his
hand.

Tom

>
>
>Matt
>
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On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:43:57 -0400, "John Krempasky" <johnk.RemoveThis@dmv.com> wrote:

>Many stadium guns that flash speeds on scoreboards are laughably
>inflated...I remember the one in Camden Yards being fairly ridiculous in
>that regard.

Somebody needs to tell Bud Selig the Owners could sell more tickets
if they had a "Who's the fastest ?" Day at the Parks. Winner gets
Selma Hayek to do the Python Shimmie/Drink Tequila from my foot Dance
she did in "From Dusk to Dawn". Can you see Randy King or Bartolo Colon
in place of Quentin Tarantino ? <HHOK>
>
>

Reticulum

Remove "your.hat" when replying via e-mail
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

Reticulum <cathexis.DeleteThis@erols.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:43:57 -0400, "John Krempasky" <johnk.DeleteThis@dmv.com> wrote:

>>Many stadium guns that flash speeds on scoreboards are laughably
>>inflated...I remember the one in Camden Yards being fairly ridiculous in
>>that regard.

> Somebody needs to tell Bud Selig the Owners could sell more tickets
> if they had a "Who's the fastest ?" Day at the Parks. Winner gets
> Selma Hayek to do the Python Shimmie/Drink Tequila from my foot Dance
> she did in "From Dusk to Dawn".

I was so with you on this one until you went and gave me this mental
image:

> Can you see Randy King or Bartolo Colon in place of Quentin Tarantino
> ? <HHOK>

At which point I looked for the nearest kitchen instrument and tried to
gouge my eyes out.

Cheers,
Nick
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

cathexis RemoveThis @erols.com (Reticulum) wrote in message news:<3f7911e0.190104042@localhost>...
> On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:43:57 -0400, "John Krempasky" <johnk RemoveThis @dmv.com> wrote:
>
> >Many stadium guns that flash speeds on scoreboards are laughably
> >inflated...I remember the one in Camden Yards being fairly ridiculous in
> >that regard.
>
> Somebody needs to tell Bud Selig the Owners could sell more tickets
> if they had a "Who's the fastest ?" Day at the Parks. Winner gets
> Selma Hayek to do the Python Shimmie/Drink Tequila from my foot Dance
> she did in "From Dusk to Dawn". Can you see Randy King or Bartolo Colon
> in place of Quentin Tarantino ? <HHOK>

How about winner gets to put a wooden stake through Bud Selig?
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

The main problem with answering the question is that every brand of radar
gun is different. Some guns are notoriously slow or fast. And it's also
easier to get a high reading on a high pitch(above the letters) down the
middle. It's why most scouts carry their own radar gun around and only use
their own readings(figuring less variance for comparison if they use the
same gun over and over). I've seen Billy Koch hit 103 mph on a stadium gun
and Billy Wagner consistently hits 100-101 at home. Most durable fastball?
I've seen Colon hit 98-99 consistently in the later innings, though he might
also have the straightest fastball I've ever seen.
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

I think this question came up a while back, and I remember that Mark Wohlers
once hit 103 on the speed gun.

Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man

"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
proportion to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".
 >> Stay informed about: The Fastest Measured Fastball Ever Thrown in the Show Was ?? 

mpoconnor7.TakeThisOut@aol.comnojunk (Mpoconnor7) wrote:

>I think this question came up a while back, and I remember that Mark Wohlers
>once hit 103 on the speed gun.

Of course, since stadium speed guns are notoriously inaccurate, how
can there be an official record in a game situation?

--
James Farrar | londonstatto.TakeThisOut@yahoo.co.uk
"Regardless of what Bud, MLB, the East Coast, or anyone else thinks,
we have the best park, team, organization, and fans in the bigs.
So they can shove it."
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